Serve your guests a salad that’s as pretty as it is delicious with this easy recipe from

Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

Thanksgiving was a culinary extravaganza and I enjoyed every calorie-filled minute of it! However, I’m going to have to wear my buffet britches for a few days while I slim down and get ready for the next holiday eatathon. Here’s a wonderful, light-ish salad featuring my go-to dressing recipe. The multi-purpose dressing will keep up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator and is good on all leafy greens, in pasta salads, or as a marinade for vegetables. This pretty salad is the perfect centerpiece for a festive lady’s luncheon… especially ladies who are in the same boat I’m in!

BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH ORANGES, BLACK OLIVES & ALMONDS

INGREDIENTS

(Serves 4)

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large garlic clove, peeled and smashed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

2 naval oranges

About 8 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

16 oil-cured black olives, pitted and quartered lengthwise

1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

DIRECTIONS

Make the dressing:

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and syrup. Gradually whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream. Add the garlic clove, salt and pepper. (Remove the garlic clove just before serving.)

Make the salad:

Peel the oranges and separate into sections, removing seeds and any coarse membranes. Place the orange sections, spinach leaves, and olives in a large salad bowl. Just before serving, toss with about ¼ cup of the dressing, just enough to coat the leaves. (You will have leftover dressing.) Divide the salad among four salad plates and sprinkle with the sliced almonds. Serve immediately.

We’re adding holiday baskets to the website daily. Here’s one of the latest:

Hatboxful of Happiness